Generally, the performance of newly manufactured electronic components such as IC devices is tested before the components are shipped. For example, the electrical characteristics of the components are measured. To do this, an IC handler takes out IC devices to be tested in series from an accumulation position of the manufactured IC devices and sends a plurality of IC devices of each lot to a measuring unit. This IC handler includes an apparatus for conveying IC devices.
A conventional apparatus for conveying IC devices includes a shuttle table. At the time of conveyance, in order to precisely convey an IC device or a plurality of IC devices placed on the shuttle table to a measuring position within a measuring unit, each IC device must be accurately retained at the predetermined position on the shuttle table. For this purpose, a device for retaining IC devices is used.
For example, a recessed pocket formed to match the outer shape of an IC device, or a recessed pocket formed to match the outer shape of a guide component holding an IC device is formed on the surface of the shuttle table. As a conventional device for retaining IC devices, an IC device retaining tool which is inserted into the recessed pocket so as to be fixed and comprising an IC device receiving portion is used.
The outer shape of each IC device to be tested is a rectangular parallelepiped. The rectangular parallelepiped has a top surface, a bottom surface and side surfaces, and each surface has a quadrilateral shape such as a square or a rectangle. However, there are a wide variety of types for IC devices. The length, width and thickness of a rectangular parallelepiped vary depending on the lot of the IC device. Therefore, a conventional shuttle table needs to be structured as follows. A recessed pocket having dimensions which can receive an IC device retaining tool comprising a reception portion formed to match the dimensions of the outer shape including the thickness of the IC device to be tested has to be individually formed. Further, a plurality of IC device retaining tools having different dimensions must be prepared in advance as a so-called change kit for each IC device. However, costs for preparing change kits are very high. In addition, it is very troublesome to exchange change kits in accordance with the types of the IC devices.
Conventional techniques have led to the development of an IC device conveying apparatus configured to interpose and fix an IC device or a plurality of IC devices between a pair of slide guide plates configured to independently move away from and toward each other on a conveyance shuttle, instead of preparing a plurality of change kits in advance for each IC device having a different outer shape dimension. (For example, refer to patent literature 1.)
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent No. 5021780
The IC device conveying apparatus described in patent literature 1 is configured to interpose and fix an IC device or a plurality of IC devices between the pair of slide guide plates explained above. Therefore, if a tightening screw of the slide guide plates becomes loose because of shaking during conveyance, the slide guide plates may be moved, and the IC device may be moved or deviate from a fixed position. Thus, a problem may be caused in conveyance. Moreover, when an IC device or a plurality of IC devices are interposed and fixed between the above pair of slide guide plates, the IC device is sometimes fixed at an angle relative to the surface of a shuttle plate between a pair of slide guide plates. In this case, the inclined IC device is conveyed to the next measuring unit, and the IC device may be set at an angle in the measuring unit. In this case, it is easily presumed that a normal measurement result cannot be obtained.
In the method of preparing a plurality of change kits in advance for each IC device having a different outer shape dimension as a conventional IC device conveying apparatus, costs for preparing a variety of change kits are very high, and it is very troublesome to exchange change kits. In the method of interposing and fixing an IC device between a pair of slide guide plates, if the IC device is fixed at an angle relative to the surface of a shuttle plate and is set at an angle in the next measuring unit, a normal measurement result may not be obtained. This problem occurs with the other electronic components as well as IC devices.
In order to solve the above problem, an embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic component conveying apparatus configured to be commonly used for electronic components such as IC devices having different outer shape dimensions without using change kits and ensure retention in a normal posture on a shuttle plate. Thus, the apparatus is configured to easily and accurately convey electronic components to the next unit including a measuring unit and always obtain an accurate measurement result at low cost.
An embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic component conveying apparatus, comprising:
a conveyance plate which conveys a plurality of electronic components having a rectangular bottom surface and a rectangular parallelepiped shape, the plurality of electronic components being placed on the conveyance plate;
a plurality of electronic component interposing-and-retaining units which have an inner shape corresponding to two side surfaces interposing one opposing corner of a pair of opposing corners of the bottom surface of each of the plurality of electronic components placed on the conveyance plate, and are fixed on the conveyance plate; and
a lattice plate which comprises a plurality of lattices having an inner dimension larger than a bottom surface dimension of the plurality of electronic components, has a shape in which, when the lattice plate is placed on the conveyance plate, two side surfaces interposing one opposing corner of a pair of opposing corners of each of the lattices are positioned in proximity so as to be away from an outer side surface of the electronic component interposing-and-retaining units fixed on the conveyance plate by a predetermined gap or distance and two side surfaces interposing the other opposing corner of the lattice correspond to two side surfaces interposing the other opposing corner of the electronic component, and is fixed on the conveyance plate, wherein
a plurality of flexible electronic component retention spaces are formed in accordance with an outer shape dimension of an electronic component to be conveyed between the electronic component interposing-and-retaining units fixed on the conveyance plate in proximity to the two side surfaces interposing one opposing corner of the lattice of the lattice plate and the two side surfaces interposing the other opposing corner of the lattice.
Further, the embodiment of the electronic component conveying apparatus uses, when a plurality of electronic components are retained in the electronic component retention spaces, a gap or distance adjustment jig forming the predetermined gap between each of the electronic components and each of the electronic component interposing-and-retaining units.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic component conveying apparatus, comprising:
a shuttle plate which has a plurality of position determination holes and is configured to convey a plurality of electronic components having a rectangular bottom surface and a rectangular parallelepiped shape, the plurality of electronic components being placed on a surface of the shuttle plate;
at least a first guide block which is fixed on the shuttle plate by a position determination bolt screwed at a predetermined position of the plurality of position determination holes, wherein a first plurality of electronic component interposing-and-retaining portions having a shape corresponding to two side surfaces interposing one opposing corner of a pair of opposing corners of a bottom surface of the electronic components are formed along a longitudinal direction of the first guide block;
at least a second guide block which is fixed on the shuttle plate by another position determination bolt screwed at another predetermined position of the plurality of position determination holes, facing the first guide block, wherein a second plurality of electronic component interposing-and-retaining portions having a shape corresponding to two side surfaces interposing the other opposing corner of the pair of opposing corners of the bottom surface of the electronic components are formed along a longitudinal direction of the second guide block;
a transmission type of optical sensor provided on the shuttle plate, the optical sensor including a light emission unit which emits light having an optical axis ranging from one end portion to the other end portion of the shuttle plate along an upper surface of a plurality of electronic components interposed and retained between the first and second electronic component interposing-and-retaining portions along the longitudinal directions of the first and second guide blocks, and further including an optical sensor which detects the light at the other end portion of the shuttle plate;
a sensor slit plate which sets the emitted light so as to pass through a position kept away by a predetermined distance from an upper surface of each of the plurality of electronic components interposed and retained between the first and second electronic component interposing-and-retaining portions in accordance with a thickness of the electronic components between the end portions of the shuttle plate; and
a height position adjustment device which adjusts a height position of an upper end of the sensor slit plate, wherein
the first and second guide blocks retain a plurality of electronic components in an electronic component retention space formed and fixed on the shuttle plate fixed at a position determination hole determined in advance in accordance with a distance between the pair of opposing corners of the bottom surface of an electronic component to be conveyed.
According to the embodiments, it is possible to provide an electronic component conveying apparatus which can retain an electronic component such as an IC device regardless of the outer shape dimension of the electronic component without changing a retention component such as a change kit, reduce the handling cost for manufacturing and shipping the electronic component, and easily and accurately convey the electronic component to the next processing unit such as electric characteristics measuring unit.